Electric coal-puncher or mining-machine.



2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Patented May 25, 1909.

J I H. THOMPSON. ELEGTRIG GOAL PUNGHBR OB, MINING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JULY 31, 1907.

W1 INESSES J. H. THOMPSON.

ELECTRIC GOAL PUNGHER 0B. MINING MACHINE. APPLIOATION FILED JULY a1, 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

ha' Affari/e516,

Patented May 25, 1909.

TINITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.,

JOHN H. THOMPSON, OF CHARLESTON, WESTl VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR TO JOHNSON ELECTRIC MACHINE COMPANY, OF CHARLESTON, WEST VIRGINIA, A CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

ELECTRIC COAL-IUNCHER OB Iv/[INING-MACHINE.

Application led July 31,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN H. THOMPSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Charleston, in the county of Kanawha and State of TWest Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Coal-Punchers or Miiiing-l\lachines, and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,

clear, and exact description of the invention, vl() which it appertains to make and use the SLHTG.

This invention relates to electrically operated or motor-driven coal picks or punchers, and is applicable generally to mining or analogous machines having a reciprocating tool or pick, as machines for cutting or mining rock, salt, and the like.

The principal object of my invention is to provide in a machine having a reciprocating tool or pick, improved means for reciprocating the same, and means whereby the forward movement of the pick is automatically reversed whenever the pick strikes an unusually hard or impenetrable block of coal, rock or other substance which may prevent a continuation of the forward movement of the pick, this reversal of movement under the stated conditions preventing the machine from breaking 5 while allowing the continued or uninterrupted reciprocation of the pick.

Other objects are to provide for effecting such reversal of the pick at different degrees of resistance, and to provide means for determining the length of the stroke of the tool in either direction.

The invention will first be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are to be taken as a part of this specification, and then pointed out in the claims at the end of the description.

Referring to the drawings, in which corresponding parts in different views are indi cated by like letters or numerals; Figure l is a plan view of the machine, partly in section and with the front portion carrying the pick or mining tool broken away g Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section taken through the main casing, showing the inclosed parts in elevation; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the machine on smaller scale; Fig. 4 is an enlarged transverse section taken on the line A-A of F ig. 1, and Fig. 5 is a detail perspec- Specification of Letters Patent.

such as will enable others skilled in the art to Patented May 25, 1909.

1907. Serial No. 386,476.

tive view, on an enlarged scale, of a fragmentary portion of the actuating mechanism.

As shown in the drawings, the main frame or casing of the machine, indicated by the numeral 1, is mounted in the usual manner on supporting wheels 3, journaled on lateral trunnions 2, adapting the machine to be wheeled into position for operating on the bank or seam of coal or other substance which is to be cut or mined. Said casing 1 is shown having an interior longitudinal rib 4 and groove 5, in the top and bottom respectively of the casing, which rib and groove constitute guide-ways for the hereinafter mentioned tool-carrier, the forward end of which carrier works through a bushing 6, preferably of brass, in the contracted front of the casing. To the rear of the casing 1 is secured a housing 7, which incloses and supports a suitable driving motor, preferably an electric motor (not shown), said housing 7 being equipped with the usual handles to enable the operator to wheel the machine into position and properly manipulate or handle it for directing the pick or mining tool against the coal bed.

The shaft S of the electric motor projects forward, from its front bearing 9, into the rear of the casing 1. A bevel gear 10 on the Zontally-disposed bevel gear 11, to which is bolted or rigidly secured a toothed wheel 12. Gear 11 and wheel 12 are rotatably mounted on a stationary shaft 13, which may be removably secured to the casing 3 by a nut, as shown. At a distance, forwardly another toothed wheel 14, similar to the wheel .12, is mounted upon a spindle 15 adjustably supported on the lower side of the casing 1. This spindle 15 with its wheel 14, is adjustable in a direction longitudinally of the casing by means of a screw 16 which works through a screw-threaded lug 17 and bears against the adjustable bearing of said spindle. An endless chain 18 connects and engages with the sprocket-wheels l2 and14, and the tension of said chain may be increased or regulated by adjustment of the wheel 14.

Within the casing 1 is any suitable reciprocating tool-holder or carrier, indicated by 19, the forward end of which works through the bushing 6 as aforesaid, and is front end of said shaft 8 meshes with a horior may be provided with a socket or coupling 20 adapted to receive and hold the shank of a drill or pick 21 or other appropriate mining tool. The rear end of the tool-carrier 19 is shown in the form of an enlarged plate 22, which in conjunction with a spaced and connected plate 23 forms the rear runner and guide for the tool-carrier. Said plate 22 and plate 23 are each formed with a guiderib, that of plate 22 being indicated at 24, and that of plate 23 being indicated at 25. The ribs 24 and 25 engage respectively the rib 4 and channel 5 in casing 1, the ineans thus provided being adapted, in conjunction with the bushing 6, to position and guide the tool-carrier throughout its reciprocations.

Toothed wheels or gears 26 and 27, respectively engaging opposite runs of the endless chain 18, are carried by the toolholder 19, said wheels or gears being arranged between 22 and 23 and mounted on spindles 28 and 29 which pass through the plate 23 and are screwed into the plate 22. The spindles are formed with heads which are seated in the plate 23, and in addition to serving as shafts for their wheels, the spindles also serve as a means for securing the plate 23 to the drill carrier 19.

The reciprocation of the tool-carrier is accomplished by holding the wheels or gears i v26 and 27 alternately against rotation,

making one fast while at the same time the other is left free to idle over the opposite side of the chain to that engaging the temporarily non-rotating toothed wheel; thus clutching or positively connecting the toolholder with the opposite chain-runs in alternation. To accomplish this result, the toothed wheels 26 and 27 are each provided with an integral hub 30, 31, respectively, each of which is embraced by a band-brake 32, 33, respectively, one end of each brake being free and the other end being secured to the arm 22 of the carrier by a screw 34. The band-brakes 32, 33 are actuated, respectively, by wedge-shaped cams or arms 35, 36, carried by a transverse rock-shaft 37 which is arranged between the gears 26, 27 and journaled in bearings 38 depending from the plate 22 of the tool-carrier. This rock-shaft, at each side beyond the carrierframe, is provided with arms 39, each carrying at its free end a governor weight 40. The rock-shaft 37 is also provided at one of its ends with a pin 41 which is adapted at the end of the forward stroke of the pick or tool to strike a trip 42, adjustably mounted on a screw-threaded rod 43, rotatably carried by the housing 7 and casing 1, and provided at its outer end with a hand-wheel 44. A trip 45, adapted to be struck by the pin 41 at the end of the rearward stroke of the carrier, is also carried by the rod 43, and

may be adjustable thereon by having interior threads which engage the threads of the rod, the strip 45 having also a fiat face which rests against the casing 1 and thereby prevents the rotation of the trip when the rod 43 is rotated..

The operation of the machine is as follows: The front trip 42 having been primarily positioned to determine the limit ofthe forward stroke of the tool, and the rear trip 45, through the rotation of the rod 43, having been adjusted to limit the rearward stroke of the tool and the cam-shaft or rock-shaft 37 having been set at the position shown in full lines in the drawings (in which position the hand-brake 32 is wedged tightly upon the hub 30 of toothed wheel 26, thereby holding this wheel against rotation while the bandbrake 33 being released from engagement with the hub of toothed wheel 27, leaves this wheel free to rotate about its spindle), the driving shaft 8 is now rotated upon the starting of its motor, and the gear 10 thereupon drives the gear 11 which, carrying with it the sprocket wheel 12, drives the chain 18 in the direction indicated by the arrow. As the temporarily non-rotatable toothed wheel 26 is in engagement with the side or run of the chain that is moving forward or toward the pick, the tool-carrier 19 is thereby thrust forward, the other toothed wheel 27 in the meantime idling over the other run of the chain 18. When during the forward movement of the tool-carrier, the pin 41 strikes the front trip 42, the cam-shaft 37 is thrown from the position shown in full lines in the drawing to that shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. In this latter position the cam 35 releases the brake 32 from binding engagement with the hub of toothed wheel 26, which is then free to rotate, and the cam 36 forces the brake 33 into binding engagement with the hub of toothed wheel 27, which is then held against rotation. 1t will be observed that the tool-carrier will be now drawn backward, because the rearwardly moving run of chain 18 is in engagement with the temporarily non-rotatable toothed wheel 27,

toothed wheel 26 being at the same time freeV to idle along the other side of the chain. As the rearward movement of the tool-carrier continues, the pin 41 will strike the rear trip 45, and the cam-shaft 37 will thereupon be rotated vto its iirst position, thereby holding toothed-wheel 26 against rotation, and releasing toothed whcel 27, and thereupon the tool-carrier will again move forward to again thrust the pick into the substance beingv mined.

The governors 40, it will be observed, hold the cam-shaft or rock-shaft 37 in the position to which it is shifted, and they also operate in effecting a very important function of this machine, that is, its ability to automatically arrest and reverse the forward movement of the tml-carrier, whenever the pick or drill is suddenly stopped by striking an unusually hard block of coal, rock, or other hard substance which prevents the further forward movement of the pick. rl`his reversal of movement prevents the machine from beingl broken under the stated conditions but allows uninterrupted operation. rl"his rearward movement of the tool-carrier, colisequent upon suoli stoppage of the pick, is accomplished by the reaction resulting from the sudden stoppage of the pick, such reaction resulting in throwing the weights Li() forward under their own momentum, thereby rotating cam-shaft 37, and thus permitting toothed wheel 26 to rotate and also holding toothed wheel 27 against rotation, which therefore positively engages the rearwardly moving side of chain 1S, which thereupon carries the trol-carrier backward, the machine thereafter continuing its reciprocations as before. The sudden stoppage, by a hard substance of thc forward thrust of the pick will not inuure or break the driving chain 1S, as the friction brakes under such conditions will slip to a slight extent, and when the blow is hard enough to stop the carriage, the ,snivernors di() will. loosen one brake and t'ghtcn the other, thereby reversingI the forward iovcment of the tool-carrier and relieving the driving chain 18 from this strain. The amount of resistance which the forward movi-ment of the pick will overcome without reversing` its movement is determined by the weight ol the governors Ll() and their relation to the cam-shaft 37. T o this end the governors are adapted to be adjusted, by the means shown in the drawings, nearer to or farther from the cam-shaft 37, which adjustment determines the resistance which will cause the machine to reverse, the less distance between the governor and the cam-shaft the more easily the machine will reverse. lnstead of such adjusting means, governors of varying weights might be used for the same purpose.

lt will observed that the opposite runs ol' the endless driving chain 1.8, moving in a continuous direction, constitute oppositcly-travcling instrumcntalities for alter rate positive connection with the tool-holder or carrier 19, whereby the latter is rcciprocated, while the connection will be atuomatically reversed or changed from the oir-going to the back-going chain-run. or instrumcntality by stoppage of the pick. This allows any desired stroke of the pick or mining tool, without danger of breakage, and without interruption of the operation by encountering hard obiects or substances, since the machine will go on as soon as it reversed. The principle set forth may be embodied in other constructions. llor example, instead of a single endless chain, two endless chains, driven from the motor, may be arranged to provide the aforesaid oppositely-traveling instrumentalities.

Although l have indicated an electric motor as the preferred means for actuating the driving shaft S, it is evident that other means can be employed for this purpose. an electric motor be used, the rapidity of the stroke of the drill or tool can be varied by a controller through its regulation of the speed of the motor.

lt is obvious that various modifications of my invention, di'dering in structural detail from the present embodiment, can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, and l do not wish to be understood as limiting my invention to the specific embodiment ill strated in the drawings.

l claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United. States;d

l. ln a mining machine, the combination of a tool-holder, motor-driven mechanism for positively reciprocating the same, and automatic means whereby the forward stroke of said tool-holder is reversed when the tool or pick strikes a hard or impenetrable object, the operation of said automatic reversing means permitting the continued or uninterrupted reciprocation of the toolholder.

2. ln a mining` machine, the combination of a reciprocatory tool-holder, motor driven actuating mechanism therefor comprising oppositely-traveling instrumentalities running longitudinally o'Ac the direction of motion of said tool-l'iolder, and automatic means for clutching or positively connecting said tooliolder alternately with the forward-going and rear-going instrumentalities at completion of the rearward and forward strokes of the tool-holder respecthrely, thereby reciprocating said tool-holder,

ln a mining machine, the combination of a reciprocatory tool-holder, motor driven actuating mechanism therefor comprising oppositely traveling instrumentalities, and automatic means for connecting said toolholder vith said instrumentalities in alter'- nation, together with automatic means for reversing the connection from the forwardgoing to the rear-going instrumentalities when the tool or pick carried by the toolholder strikes a hard or impenetrable object.

4. 'in a mining machine, the combination of a reciprocatory tool-holder, motor driven actuating mechanism therefor comprising oppositely-traveling instrumentalities, and automatic means for connecting said toolholder with said instrui'nentalities in alternation, together with automatic means for reversing the connection from the forwardgoing to the rear-going instrumentality when the tool or pick carried by the tool-holder strikes a hard or impenetrable object, and adjusting means whereby said reversing means will operate at dierent degrees of remg them non-rotatable,

sistance against the tool or pick.

5. In a mining machine, the combination of a reciprocatory tool-holder, motor driven actuating mechanism therefor comprising oppositely-traveling instrumentalities and automatic means for connecting said toolholder with said instrumentalities in alternation, and a governor comprising a weight or weights actuated by momentum to reverse the connection from the forward-going to the rear-going instrumentality when the tool or pick strikes an object or substance of certain. resistance.

6. In a mining machine, the combination of a reciprocatory tool-holder, motor-driven actuating mechanism therefor comprising oppositely-moving chain-runs, preferably the, opposite runs of an endless driving chain, loose gear-wheels carried by said tool-holder and in mesh respectively with the said opposite chain-runs, and automatic means holding said wheels alternately against rotation, whereby the tool holder is reciprocated by the alternate positive engagement of the opposite chain-runs with the respective gear wheels.

7. In a mining machine, the combination of a reciprocatory tool-holder, motor driven actuating mechanism therefor comprising oppositely-traveling chain-runs, gear-wheels carried by said tool-holder and in mesh respectively with said chain-runs, brakes asso- /ciated with the respective Wheels for holding them non-rotatable, and automatic means for setting one brake and releasing the other at completion of the forward and reverse strokes of the tool-holder, the arrangement being such that the wheel meshing with the forward-going chain-run is braked during the forward stroke and is idle during the reverse stroke, while the other wheel is idle during said forward stroke and is braked during said reverse stroke.

8. In a mining machine, the combination of a reciprocatory tool-holder, motor driven actuating mechanism therefor comprising oppositely-traveling chain-runs, gear-wheels carried by said tool-holder and in mesh respectively with said chain-runs, brakes associated with the respective wheels for holdbrake-controlling means carried by said tool-holder and adapted to apply one brake and release the other, and trips located to actuate said brake-controlling means at completion of the forward and reverse strokes of said tool-holder.

9. In a mining machine, the combination of a reciprocatory tool-holder, motor driven actuating mechanism therefor comprising oppositely-traveling cham-runs, geanwheels 4applying devices adapted carried by said tool-holder and in mesh respectively with said chain-runs, brakes associated with the respective wheels for holding them non-rotatable, brake-controlling means carried by said tool-holder and adapted` to apply one brake and release the other, and trips located to actuate said brake-controlling means at completion of the forward and reverse strokes of said tool-holder, and means for automatically reversing said brake-controlling means when the tool or ick carried by the tool-holder strikes a hardP or impenetrable object.

l0, In a mining machine, the combination of a reciprocatory tool-holder, motor-driven actuating mechanism therefor comprising oppositely-traveling chain-runs, gears carried by the tool-holder and respectively in mesh with said chain-runs, means holding said gears alternately against rotation, thereby reciprocating said tool-holder, and means for automatically reversing the status of said gears when the tool or pick strikes a hard or impenetrable object, thereby reversing the forward stroke of the tool-holder but without interrupting its reciprocations.

11. In a mining machine, the combination of a reciprocating tool-holder, gear-wheels carried thereby, driving-mechanism comprising oppositely-traveling chain-runs respectively engaging said gear-wheels, brakebands associated with the respective wheel hubs, an interposed rock-shaft having braketo engage and apply one lbrake-band while releasing the other, an arm or projection on said shaft, and trips arranged to engage said arm or projection at completion of the forward and rearward strokes of the tool-holder for reversing the operation of the brakes and thereby reversing the stroke.

12. In a mining machine, the combination of a reciprocatory tool-holder, gear-wheels carried thereby, driving mechanism comprising oppositely-traveling chain-runs respectively engaging said gear-wheels, brake ban ds associated with the respective wheelhubs, an interposed rock-shaft having brakeapplying devices adapted to engage and apply one brake-band while releasing the other, one or more weighted levers on said rockshaft so arranged that the one brake or the other' is held applied according to the osition of the weight or weights forward y or rearwardly of the rock-shaft, the momentum of said weight or weights servin g to rock said shaft and effect a reversal of the brakes if the tool or pick should strike a hard or im-r penetrable object, an arm or projection on said shaft, and trips arranged to engage said arm or projection at completion of the forward and rearward strokes of the tool-holder for reversing the operation of the brakes and thereby reversing the stroke.

13. .ln a mining machine, the combination. of a reciprocatory tool-holder, mechanism for reciprocating the same, and a Weight or Weights carried by said tool-holder and relatively movable, and means actuated by motion of the said Weight or Weights un der momentum for automatically reversing the stroke when the pick or tool carried by the tool-holder strikes a hard or impenetrable object.

14. lln a mining machine, the combination of a reciprocatory tool-holder, driving mechanism comprising oppositel T-traveling instrumentalities, means carried by said toolholder for engaging or connecting v-.fitl'i said instrumentalities in alternation, and con'- trolling means therefor' also carried by said tool-holder and operated reversely by stationary trips at completion of forward and backward strokes of the tool-holder.

l5. ln a mining machine, the combination of a reciprocatory tool-holder, driving mechanism comprising oppositely--traveling instrumentalities, means carried by said teolholder for engaging or connecting with said instrimientalities in alternation, and controlling means therefor also carried by said tool-holder and operated reversely by stationary trips at completion of forward and backward strokes of the tool-holder, and a rotatable adjusting rod. having screw-connections with said trips and by means of which at least one or both of said trips can be adjusted for varying the length of stroke.

16. ln a mining machine, the combination of a reciproeatory tool-holder, driving mechanism comprising oppositely-running 1nl l l il l strumentalities, a Weighted lever or levers carried by said tool-holder and adapted to swing forward or backward, devices carried by said tool-holder for positively engaging or connecting with said oppositely running instrumentalities, said devices being respectively controlled by said Weighted lever or levers, the arrangement being such that momentum Will carry the Weighted lever forward when the tool or pick is stopped by striking an impenetrable object, and devices for shifting said Weighted lever or levers at completion of forward and reverse strokes of the tord-holder.

17. ln a mining machine, the combination of an endless driving chain or belt ruiming in a continuons direction, gears engaging respectively the opposite runs thereof, a reciprocatory tool-holder carrying said gears, and means for automatically holding said gears alternately against rotation.

1S. in a mining machine, the combination of a tool-holder, means for reciprocating the same, and automatic means whereby the vfoivvard stroke of said tool-holder is arrested and the stroke reversed Wh en the tool or piek strikes a hard or impenetrable object, the operation of said automatic reversing means not preventing the continued reciproeation of the tool-holder.

ln testimony whereof l affix my signature, in presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN H. THOMPSON.

l/Vitnesses J. D. Wooonon, O. O. CRAWFORD. 

